vin' our
hands full of work to-night. I stumbled over these here bananas as I
was coming down the ravine, and brought 'em along, as I s'pose it was
intended I should."

"Just so," I answered. "Now let me hear the result of your day's
observations. I have amused myself, as you see, in getting as many of
our things as I could back into the cutter; for I felt that, in the
present condition of affairs, it may be imperatively necessary for us to
be off at a moment's notice. But I do not feel very much fatigued; I am
picking up strength rapidly, and my experience of to-day has shown me
that I am stronger than I really thought I was. There are a few things
still lying about here which were rather too heavy for me single-handed;
but when these are on board and stowed away, we can be off at any
moment."

"So much the better," returned Bob. "Let's get a few on 'em into the
canoe at once't, and whilst we're working I can be telling ye what I've
see'd from my perch up aloft there. It won't take very long in the
telling. In the first place, two boats has been right to the south eend
of the island. They went away full o' men, and landed all hands,
excepting a couple of men in each boat; and while the shore party was
reg'lar beating the woods, the boats paddled slowly back, keepin' close
in shore, to take their shipmates off in case of anything going wrong--
at least, that was my _idee_. Then I soon made out that another party
was working their way to the nor'ard from their camp, giving this eend
of the island a overhaul. I see'd 'em often, crossing the open country
between the different clumps of trees, and was able once or twice to
hear faintly their shouts to one another. This lot would ha' made me
very oneasy, hadn't I give the place such a complete overhaul myself no
later 'n yesterday, for they seemed to be bent on getting up the bit of
a mountain, and stood off and on, this way and that, as though they
_wouldn't_ be beat; but they had to give it up at last and go back,
though I make no manner of doubt as they've pretty well decided to come
this way with a boat to-morrer, and finish their surwey of the island.
So much for the shore gang. They're all back in their camp by this
time, and if they don't sleep without rocking it won't be for want of
walking, and shouting, and hollering; and let me tell ye, lad, it's no
joke to be fighting your way through thick bush for hours at a time, as
most of them chaps have been